In todays newspapers I read a story which made me lose what little faith I had left in our society.

After the incident during the English riots whereby a Malaysian man was beaten then helped to his feet before being robbed by sickening thieves, my faith in society was already low. But after discovering today that a cage-fighting bout between two eight year old boys had taken place, as entertainment in a social club in England, whatever confidence I had left in British society vanished.

The sickening ten minute battle between the two young boys was cheered on by a crowd of 450 adults who had all paid £25 each to watch the two boys grapple, twist and wrestle each other. What made it worse was the fact that no head guards or any other protective gear was worn by the youngsters during the fight. This was condemned by a spokesman from the British Medical Association who said “This is particularly disturbing, especially as they’re not wearing head guards.” Even a spokesperson from the from the British Association of Martial Arts disapproved of the fight saying: “It’s shocking. We wouldn’t recommend this. Children this young shouldn’t be cage fighting.”

At one point during the combat one of the boys bursts into tears and after medical staff have made sure he’s okay the fighting continues as the booze filled adults encourage the boys to battle once again.

After 10 minutes the fight ends with yet more tears. This left me wondering did the kids involved really enjoy grappling and wrestling with one and other or was this just another disturbing form of entertainment for sick adults such as those who attended and enjoyed the fight?

The fact that a crowd as large as 450 adults would take pleasure from watching two eight year old boys, who’s body’s are still young and fragile, in a cage grappling each other into submission is nothing less than shocking. I also find the fact that the boys parents let them take part, and possibly encourage them, to be shocking. When asked about the fight one of the boy’s fathers said: “There’s no harm in cage fighting at all. If he wasn’t cage fighting he would probably be chucking stones at buses and giving people grief.” This is similar to what the social club owner said “There’s nothing wrong with it. Would people rather these kids were out on the streets with guns and knives?” I find this ridiculous as I’m not sure about you but I can’t remember the last time I seen a pesky eight year old running around with a gun.

By now then you must be thinking what I thought: “surely this cannot be legal?” However, unfortunately it is, and the Labour Club in Preston, Lancashire, even has a licence to hold such morally wrong events.

Hopefully after this being brought to light many will share my view resulting in a ban of underage cage-fighting. Possibly then I will regain some faith in humanity.

3 Responses

I am a massive fan of MMA and unfortunatly it’s episodes like this that make it hard to defend the sport.

This was not MMA (or cage fighting if you must). This was two boys partaking in a juijitsu/wresting match. There was no striking allowed, nor done.

What happened was no different to Judo or wrestling matches that take place all the time, although admittadly in wrestling there is headgear to protect against accidental head clashes.

What is reprehensible here is the adults baying for the blood of children.

As far as I am aware there is no under-age “cage-fighting”. Perhaps what should be looked at is children competing, in no matter at what discipline, when adults are drinking and looking upon it as a type of gladatorial competition.